Ian Skewis: the author

Ian Skewis was born in Scotland in 1970.

One day, whilst out walking in the countryside with his parents, he discovered the dead body of a man hanging from a tree. Ian was nine years old. By 1989 he felt compelled to write about that day, perhaps in an effort to come to terms with it. The eerie story that resulted would eventually, some 28 years later, become his debut novel. In the same year that he began writing his dark tale, he had his first published work in a local free paper called The West-Ender. He also published some poems, which were subsequently exhibited in a local library, alongside some of his handmade lithographic prints. He was offered the post of editor at The West-Ender, but declined in order to pursue his studies at Grays School of Art in Aberdeen.

In 1993 he made his debut as an actor in the Ramshorn Theatre's production of The Normal Heart. He went on to study acting at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (then known as the RSAMD). He appeared on film, television and lent his voice to radio. He also appeared in numerous stage plays, including Like Thunder, which won a Fringe First Award in 2001. In 2004 he appeared in his final production, Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, before retiring from the business.

In 2013, Ian returned as a writer.

Since then he has written several short stories, and his debut novel, A Murder Of Crows, went to No.1 on the Amazon Scottish Crime charts and became a Bestseller. It was also long listed for the Guardian's Not The Booker Prize.

He is currently working on a sequel, as well as other book proposals and short stories.

The library

2018: two new book proposals in progress

2018: Sequel to A Murder Of Crows in progress

2018: Remembering Miss Clare, short story for Borrowed anthology in progress

2017: debut novel, A Murder Of Crows, published by unbound; No.1 amazon Scottish Crime Bestseller & long-listed for the guardian's not the booker prize

2016: Inkling, short story for The Speculative Book anthology, published by the speculative bookshop